YorkshireBear
Established Member
- Joined
- 23 Jul 2010
- Messages
- 8,699
Over a year since this all sorted and TfW still try to justify this practise. One word, pathetic.
Precisely. I would be very interested to see their assessment of the risks, both Covid related and otherwise, which they impose on (would be) passengers by refusing to serve certain stations. Perhaps someone should ask them for it under FoI...There really needs to be a proper assessment of the health and safety risks of stopping at these stations, and mitigating measures put in place to counteract any risk there might be to either train staff or passengers.
Bilbrook is a little different - I believe the 170s have 'proper' SDO. However yes, if even Scotrail (who operate under very similar legal obligations) have managed to continue local door operations, on top of the rest of the industry, that strongly points to it being an issue on TfW's part.After all, if other train companies can use selective door opening, such as previously mentioned on the Fort William to Mallaig line, or places such as Bilbrook on the Wolverhampton to Shrewsbury line, why can't Transport for Wales?
I wouldn't have expected any trains from Llandudno to Manchester Airport to call at Conwy: it'd require two reversals to do so.
Did you perhaps board elsewhere?
How are TfW managing this for passengers going to Conwy? Presumably someone could come from somewhere miles away, laden with luggage, and get to Chester to be told their connection isn’t stopping at Conwy. What do they do? Chuck them out at Llandudno Junction?
Oh, and I’m that event I bet the delay repay claim would get rejected too, as it’ll be “computer says no”
Good point. And would the passenger even know until the train literally fails to stop at their required station.How are TfW managing this for passengers going to Conwy? Presumably someone could come from somewhere miles away, laden with luggage, and get to Chester to be told their connection isn’t stopping at Conwy. What do they do? Chuck them out at Llandudno Junction?
Oh, and I’m that event I bet the delay repay claim would get rejected too, as it’ll be “computer says no”
The next train? If you're hoping to head to somewhere like Hopton Heath, your next train is [insert guess] months from now!Is a passenger who has to wait for the next train because of this ridiculous policy permitted to claim Delay Repay relative to the arrival time had the train stopped?
Well obviously... but I was thinking about scenarios such as this where it is actually vaguely feasible to catch the next train.The next train? If you're hoping to head to somewhere like Hopton Heath, your next train is [insert guess] months from now!
Unless the failure to call was advertised at the time of booking, yes you could claim Delay Repay.Well obviously... but I was thinking about scenarios such as this where it is actually vaguely feasible to catch the next train
Was waiting on the 1622 departure towards Birmingham International. For some reason, due to short platform length, only ‘limited services’ are stopping at the station - it’s long enough for 2 carriages so don’t understand that but hey ho. Anyway the 1622 is advertised on the electronic display board to stop here, on request. 15 other people were there.
train flew through. Called customer relations and apparently as it’s 4 cars it can’t stop due to ‘social distancing’ - as I said the platform is long enough for 2 cars so can’t understand that. Trains stop at tiny halts with platforms barely one coach long and just open one or two doors. Apparently only 2 car trains will stop, but how are ordinary passenger supposed to know? Also absolutely no information that the train would not stop.
Woman on the phone was very helpful and apologetic, not her fault at all.
Whilst not an issue for me to walk to Llandudno Junction (which I am currently doing), it is for people who may have mobility issues.
Dreadfully handled by TFW.
Next one Eastbound from Conwy after 1622 in a mere four hours at 2019?
What I don't quite understand is why the electronic display board at Conwy (as advised by the OP) would still be advertising the train as calling (on request) at 1622, the best part of an hour after it had departed Holyhead at 1525 when surely it would have be known, by then, that it wouldn't.
Locals and those in the know can use The Junction without too much trouble, there are plenty of buses from there to Conwy. I should do that rather than hoping the train stops as promised.
That's still £4, or whatever a bus fare is, that you shouldn't have to pay on top of your rail ticket.There are approx 2 buses per hour from Llandudno Junction Station approach and/or the nearest stop on the main road to Conwy Mon-Sat 0700-1700 on Mondays to Saturdays, plus occasional evening and Sunday buses.
The more frequent 5/X5 buses pickup 100+ yards away from the station, but out of town travellers or irregular public transport users would not be aware of this. Needless to say there is no signage at Llandudno Junction station.
If there are two or more travelling together it’s more cost effective to use the taxi company based at Junction station, circa £4 per taxi to Conwy!
Agreed. Pathetic from TfW, so many other ways of managing this situation that don't involve treating customers like they are an inconvenience.This nonsense needs to stop. It's nothing more than another example of Covid related crap customer service, that is all. There is no need.
Exactly.I complain about this to TFW multiple times a week. They do nothing. That they don't even bother to update the information display to show the services as cancelled, they just disappear after the train has flown through, is completely unacceptable.
The OP will be correct. This happens on a daily basis. They never bother updating the display.
This is the stated reason why stations like Llanfairpwll haven’t had a train service since July last year.And yet a longer train is better for social distancing...
It's the thin edge of the wedge though isn't it? If it's ok to effectively close stations without much by way of notice, let alone consultation, on quite spurious operational grounds, what hope have all other low usage stations got?It’s a 15-20 minute walk or less than 5 minutes on the bus to Llandudno Junction. Not the end of the world like some people seem to be making it out to be.
(And yes TfW are arranging taxis for the tiny minority of passengers who need them.)
Quite. The guards in Wales really need to think through their strategy on this one. Previously they walked through the trains and collected fares earning revenue for the company. The valleys is now basically a free for all, as are local journeys on the main line network.Make it DOO only. Problem solved.
Staff and unions need to be careful what they wish for.
How are TfW managing this for passengers going to Conwy? Presumably someone could come from somewhere miles away, laden with luggage, and get to Chester to be told their connection isn’t stopping at Conwy. What do they do? Chuck them out at Llandudno Junction?
Oh, and I’m that event I bet the delay repay claim would get rejected too, as it’ll be “computer says no”
Don't worry about it: I'd guess that your day trip to Colwyn/Prestatyn was on a service going to Holyhead, which can include a call at Conwy.Oh gosh I must have got that wrong then . I was staying in Chester and had a day trip to Llandudno and another one to Colwyn Bay/Prestatyn so it must have been on one of those. Apologies for the confusion, when I saw the topic I remembered hearing that "this train will not call at Conwy today" and vaguely wondering why, if it usually did.
It’s a 15-20 minute walk or less than 5 minutes on the bus to Llandudno Junction. Not the end of the world like some people seem to be making it out to be.
(And yes TfW are arranging taxis for the tiny minority of passengers who need them.)
Would it not be more sensible for the taxis to have collected the passengers few minutes before the train and got them to Llandudno Junction so they can catch it there.
I really don’t understand Welsh railway staff who seem to defend the customer unfriendly approach taken of advertise the train as stopping on station display then leave passengers stranded.
They have had 15 months to alter the platform displays, why is no one bothering
Longer term, if line is regularly operated by 4 car trains, why don’t they extend the platforms to accept them and simplify operations
The railways are there to serve passengers. If they cannot or in this case will not it is up to them to notify passengers in advance, not expect them to have to find alternative ways to board services they have paid for.It’s a 15-20 minute walk or less than 5 minutes on the bus to Llandudno Junction. Not the end of the world like some people seem to be making it out to be.
(And yes TfW are arranging taxis for the tiny minority of passengers who need them.)